Bodies in the sand[m]

[You had to see it]

The sun had risen barely an hour ago on the small fishing village. The day's there were quiet but one house was particularly silent. It was the house of the Tucker's. It had been difficult for brodeman tucker after his wife died. It was even more difficult for his first and only son Nathaniel. Nathaniel had been seeking a way to rebel against his father, as he blamed him for her death. He had found his solution in the Cult of the Self. There radical message of empowerment struck a cord in the boy and he ran off to join them. After Brodeman had asked around for any information on the cult, he realized his boy was in far more danger then he had suspected. It had been a week since he had hired the bounty hunter. All he wanted was his son back and if that meant emptying his savings then so be it. It was then that he heard a knock at the door. He rushed to it, praying to whatever might listen that his son had returned. He opened the door and saw his boy standing there, he had finally com-. It was then that he noticed the boys throat was cut. The body fell to the side before Brodemans world turned to pain. The last thing he saw was a rictus grin coming through the doorway.

[Arclightning]

Kenalt rode into the quiet fishing village barely holding on to the saddle, his face a mask of agony. He barely maneaged to dismount, and even to do that he fell in the dirt. He quite literally crawled into the apothecary shop. The knidly old lady behind the counter blinked at him from behind her spectacles, looking quite like a surprised owl.
"Both my legs have been repeatedly smashed and I need to walk in the next hour." He growled from the floor. To make a painful story short his legs were healed in less than five minutes, but it might've hurt more than breaking them. And he'll  probably be in debt for the rest of his life. Never before had he been happier to sprint to a client on his own two legs. At least, until he saw the boys body lying outside the door and red lightning emanating from within. He instantly dropped into a crouch and silently padded to the door and hid just outside. He wouldn't get his ass kicked this time. He drew his sword, silently turned and walked up behind the robed figure.

[You had to see it]

I need to get this over with thought Magus. The kids father was out and all he had to do was slit his throat and get back to his disciples. They would pack up and move on as they always had, perhaps out of the country this time. The man with the chains wasn't the first would be killer to try and take a shot at Magus. He was the first Magus had despised enough to spare. A sudden feeling of dread came over Magus and he looked behind him just in time to see the killer from last night right in front of him. His eyes widened and he muttered

"Aw hell."

[Arclightning]

Kenalt smiled like a wolf when he saw the surprised look on Magus' face.
"Morning." He said in a voice dripping with deadly venom. Then he lunged, his sword snapping towards Magus' throat.

[You had to see it]

The sword accelerated towards Magus, who moved fast enough to keep it from hitting his throat. It instead made a deep gash on his face. Magus fell back having dodged too frantically. His suprise turning to rage he landed on his back hand outstretched firing lightning with everything he had.

"WHY WON'T YOU STOP!"

[Arclightning]

Kenalt was surprised he could move that fast. It bordered on inhuman. When he started screaming Kenalt kept slashing and thrusting without missing a beat.
"Because you broke my fuckin legs, and worse killed my client. This is for my thirty gold you horses ass." Kenalt said in a voice that slipped into a heavy adelan accent. As he swung his sword with one hand he reached imto his belt and took out a chain as long as his handspan made of small, fine links but tipped with a brutal looking iron ball. He was gonna make sure Magus never walked again.

[You had to see it]

I can't die, thought Magus, not yet at least not yet. He quickly grabbed one of the fingers he still had, and but off the tip. Time stopped for and for a second Magus had a revelation. This is not man but a representation of the chains of inevitability. He understood that this was merely a test, a trial that would be overcome. He could have laughed had he not gotten up, now empowered by the flesh, and kicked the symbolic enemy at increased strength.

[Arclightning]

Kenalt saw him bite the finger and knew the next strike was gonna hurt, so he swung his chain, aiming the ball to split his head like a goddamn melon right as he got kicked in the stomach. He got pushed back a good five feet and doubled over, unable to breathe. The only thing he was able to do was swing his chain wildly and try to keep Magus away until he regained his posture.

[You had to see it]

The killer had moved faster than anticipated, and Magus moved his head back. He barely registered the impact as his jaw dislocated. He laughed and forcibly set it back in place as the killer caught his breath.

"You are truly a fine adversary but my victory is written in the stars."

He rapidly pulled a knife from his pocket, throwing it at the man's chest. He saw the blade fly as if in slow motion, and he laughed.

[Arclightning]

As the knife flew at his chest Kenalt felt like he woke up from a dream. What the fuck was he doing here? Revenge for his legs? That was the dumbest thing he'd ever heard. Well now I'm going to die for 30 gold pieces and my pride, is what Kenalt was thinking as the knife hurtled through the air. Might as well take this bastard with me, and then with a flick of his wrist the ball was flying towards the mans face again, this time at a deadlier angle.

[You had to see it]

As he laughed the metal ball went flying toward his head. He snapped out of his joy and looked up just in time to see the ball coming head on. He felt his face nearly depress as the ball landed in a sickening thud. The blow knocked Magus flat on his back. He felt growing surges of pain and realized he needed another finger quickly. He grabbed for one, vision obscured by blood.

[Arclightning]

Kenalt saw the knife more than felt it. He saw it enter his body, and that was all he needed to know. Then he turned his attention to Magus, who was reaching for a finger, with his last effort, vision going dark, Kenalt stepped, fell, and slapped at the finger.

Then all was black.

[You had to see it]

Even dying the would be killer still proved to be a nuisance. The finger in his hand was slapped to the floor before the man fell. The man...funny I never caught his name he thought. He got up feeling the full affects of the blow and staggered to retrieve it. Everything was starting to go black. He tripped and fell, not having the energy to get up. Before he passed out he saw blurry figures coming closer. He felt fear and anger, then blissful peace

[Arclightning]

Kenalt woke up in a small room made of rough-hewn logs. The scratchy sheets of his small cot were thin and too small, but in the room along with him was the owl-like lady from the apothecary shop. And another bed, identical to his, with Magus in it.

[You had to see it]

Magus saw only glimpses for the longest time. Trees, wooden houses, an old lady, a bed. He felt half aware as he slowly came to the realization that he was in unfamiliar territory. No matter he thought, he would simply kill his captors. That idea did not seem as ideal when he realized that his robe was gone, leaving his more inconspicuous peasant outfit. He practically did a double take when he saw the killer in the other bed.

"Where am I?"

[Arclightning]

The old lady  turned and said
"Oh my dear you're finally up!" She smiled widely. "You're in my guest bed, in the back of my shop Deary!" Kenalt suddenly bolted upright, looking like he just had a very bad nightmare. Or just realized he pissed himself. Maybe both. He looked around, saw the old lady and Magus, and slowly pulled out a small knife out from under the sheets and stared at Magus warily.

[You had to see it]

The elderly lady appeared to be harmless enough. Perhaps he could turn the situation to his advantage. Magus put on his kindest face and said,

"Thank you very much your assistance my fair lady. I unfortunately do not have the ability to pay you for your services at the moment, however I am more than willing to send for my associates. They should be able to pay you. After all I would hate for the situation to get messy."

Magus directed that last line at the killer, letting a small grin flash across his face.

[Arclightning]

Kenalt frowned as Magus offered to bring his other followers here. HE sat up abruptly and said
"You don't want to do that miss. Remember how Nathaniel Tucker ran away about a month ago to join some cult? Yeah, this guy is the leader of that cult." Kenalt gestured at Magus as he said the last. The lady's brow furrowed in confusion and horror. Her voice quavered as she said
"Th-That was you?"

[You had to see it]

Magus faked suprise at the killer.

"I don't know anything about cults. What I do know is that this man is a killer. You see I am here alongside a small group of scholars and mages to study the effects of cosmological movements on the ocean. I went to that house in order to ask about certain times at which the sea is calm when I saw this man violently attacking two people. I tried to intervene and we had a fight. Its this man who you should be afraid of."

The lie rolled off his tongue like silk. Magus looked at the killer with false worry.

[Arclightning]

Kenalts heart dropped. He had forgotten that Magus had a silver tongue. One he could never match. The old lady looked at them, unsure who to believe. Kenalt decided simply to leave, after all, his client was dead. As he stood up and gathered his things before hastily getting dressed the old lady fled the  house. As Kenalt rushed outside he saw the old lady shouting and waving her arms, with a bunch of armed and uniformed figures rushing out of a building. Great, thought Kenalt, the town guard. When he emerged the lady pointed at him and the figures surged toward him.